The Foals are without a win in their last six Bundesliga outings, having seen their hopes of an improvement dashed in the Matchday 11’s Rheinderby. They surrendered the lead that Lars Stindl’s first-half strike had given them, slipping to a 2-1 defeat that saw them drop to 13th in the table. In their favour is a decent record against Saturday’s visitors, with just one defeat in their last eight meetings.

Hoffenheim’s reputation as this season’s draw specialists has helped preserve an unbeaten record, but has seen them frustrated by points dropped. A lead over Hamburger SV on Matchday 11 could not be held, the 2-2 result was their sixth stalemate of the season and their second in consecutive weeks. But matching surprise leaders RB Leipzig by remaining unbeaten after 11 matches this term is a fine effort for a side that spent much of last season threatened by relegation.